The present invention relates generally to equipment for safety and more specifically it relates to an identification safety device made of flexible material with identifying wording or lettering and/or symbols and reflective attributes, that folds small enough to be carried on the person, and is to be worn on the forearm attached by adjustable straps and used by first responders including law enforcement officers, emergency medical service providers, firefighters and others, as well as other individuals authorized to carry and/or use a firearm, who are in plainclothes and cannot be identified by uniform.
When first responders including law enforcement officers, emergency medical service providers and firefighters, as well as other individuals licensed or authorized to carry a firearm, are not wearing a uniform but are wearing plainclothes and respond to an active shooter incident or other similar emergency incident, it is very difficult for other first responders and individuals to recognize the plainclothes first responders as being there to help. Without clearly visible identification, the plainclothes first responders, especially if armed, can be mistaken for the active shooter or other threatening suspect. This lack of identification associated with plainclothes first responders poses a very real threat to their safety and the safety of others since they are at risk of having deadly forced mistakenly used against them by other first responders or individuals who do not recognize them as plainclothes first responders.
The current practice of plainclothes first responders, especially law enforcement officers, in identifying themselves while responding to active incidents such as active shooter incidents, is to place a department or agency badge on a chain hanging around their neck, on their belt, or in their hand. This practice is an unreliable practice as the badge is difficult to see due to its small size and placement on the body. For example, a badge worn on a chain around the neck can only be seen by another person who is close enough to see it and who is located directly in front of the plainclothes first responder wearing the badge. Other persons who are further away or at a side angle, or behind the plainclothes first responder wearing the badge will not be able to see the badge unless the plainclothes first responder turns his/her torso toward the other person or unless the plainclothes first responder somehow lifts the badge at an angle for the person to see. Lifting the badge at a proper angle is often impossible due to the short chain and/or position of the person. This practice is also unsafe because in order to allow the other person to see the badge, in many cases, the plainclothes first responder would need to advance closer to the other person, turn their torso towards the other person, and/or raise the badge toward the other person. All three of these actions, especially if the plainclothes first responder is armed, can be mistaken for aggressive action toward the other person which may result in the other person mistakenly using deadly force against the plainclothes first responder.
Any discussion of the prior or related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Other items are available to help identify plainclothes first responders. Most notable are outer vests and jackets that identify the plainclothes first responder. However, these items are not always accessible and are usually not carried on the person of the plainclothes first responder. If an incident unfolds while the plainclothes first responder is off-duty and in a public space, that plainclothes first responder will most likely not have an identifying vest or other outer garment with them.
There are other devices, such as vests, badge holders, hats, and full body banners, which exist and are used for a similar purpose as the present invention, but they are not worn on the forearm, can be slow to deploy, require a training system, and/or are not as convenient for the user to carry because they often require a pouch or bag for carrying when not in use. Being worn on the arm is important because it allows the user to easily show others the banner identifying them without making threatening or aggressive movements.
Examples of patented safety devices which are illustrative of such prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 9,443,418 to D'Orazio; U.S. Pat. No. 9,412,285 Ramirez; U.S. Pat. No. 9,854,901 Seuk; U.S. Pat. No. 8,387,294 to Bolden; U.S. Pat. No. 8,356,737 to Lessman.
Although these patented devices serve a similar purpose as the present invention, two require electronic lights, two require a law enforcement badge, and one is worn across the torso. Of the two worn on the wrist, one requires an electronic light system and it requires training of other first responders to understand the communication of the light system. The other one worn on the wrist requires a law enforcement badge and is not as visible as the present invention. The prior art worn across the torso serves a similar purpose as the present invention, but is not worn on the forearm, and requires a pouch in ordered to be carried. Because it is worn on the torso, it limits the wearers ability to display the intended identification in any direction.
Other examples of prior art are the Israeli Style Pocket Carry Police Hat (website: cherriescounterterror.com), and other armbands worn on the upper arm (websites: warrior-fire.com and wasafety.com). The Israeli Style Pocket Carry Police Hat also serves a similar purpose as the present invention, but it is worn on the head. Armbands worn on the upper arm can only be seen by those located on same side of the arm wearing the armband and since it is located on the upper arm, the wearer cannot maneuver it in a way to be seen by others located at other positions. In addition, these armbands are not easily worn by persons who are wearing outer garments.
While these prior art examples may serve the purpose of helping identify first responders including law enforcement officers, emergency medical service providers and firefighters, as well as other individuals licensed or authorized to carry a firearm, none combine the important qualities of 1) the ease of carry by folding in order to be carried in a pocket or purse, 2) the maximum maneuverability associated with a device worn on the forearm, 3) the high visibility associated with using materials that are bright, reflective, and/or contrasting, and 4) ease of deployment associated with using adjustable straps to attach.